After playing three seasons in the OHL and representing the U.S. in the 1987 World Junior Championships, Mike Hartman was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1986 Entry Draft. Given that he was Buffalo's eight pick, and 131st overall, it came as a surprise to some people that he made the team on his first try. The coaching staff, impressed with his toughness, played him 17 times in his first NHL season. The next year, he appeared in 18 games with the Sabres and spent the balance of the season honing his game with the AHL Rochester Americans. It was back to Buffalo full-time, however, for the next three seasons.

He continued to play tough hockey, though, posting more than 100 penalty minutes annually. He had an NHL career-high 21 points in 1989-90. Hartman was traded to Winnipeg in a multi-player deal in October 1991. He played a year for the Jets before being claimed by Tampa Bay in the 1992 Expansion Draft. After 58 games with the Lightning, Hartman was traded to New York and spent part of the next two seasons with the Rangers before returning to the minors. He moved around various leagues in the U.S. before heading to Europe, where he played a year in Germany. Hartman retired from professional hockey in 1999.

REGULAR SEASON

PLAYOFFS

Season

Club

League

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

+/-

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

1983-84

North York Rangers

ON-Jr.A

37

17

26

43

141

1984-85

Belleville Bulls

OHL

49

13

12

25

119

1985-86

Belleville Bulls

OHL

4

2

1

3

5

1985-86

North Bay Centennials

OHL

53

19

16

35

205

10

2

4

6

34

1986-87

North Bay Centennials

OHL

32

15

24

39

144

19

7

8

15

88

1986-87

United States

WJC-A

6

2

1

3

4

1986-87

Buffalo Sabres

NHL

17

3

3

6

69

+2

1987-88

Buffalo Sabres

NHL

18

3

1

4

90

-3

6

0

0

0

35

1987-88

Rochester Americans

AHL

57

13

14

27

283

4

1

0

1

22

1988-89

Buffalo Sabres

NHL

70

8

9

17

316

+9

5

0

0

0

34

1989-90

Buffalo Sabres

NHL

60

11

10

21

211

-10

6

0

0

0

18

1990-91

Buffalo Sabres

NHL

60

9

3

12

204

-10

2

0

0

0

17

1991-92

Winnipeg Jets

NHL

75

4

4

8

264

-10

2

0

0

0

2

1992-93

Tampa Bay Lightning

NHL

58

4

4

8

154

-7

1992-93

New York Rangers

NHL

3

0

0

0

6

0

1993-94

New York Rangers

NHL

35

1

1

2

70

-5

1994-95

New York Rangers

NHL

1

0

0

0

4

0

1994-95

Detroit Vipers

IHL

6

1

0

1

52

1

0

0

0

0

1995-96

Orlando Solar Bears

IHL

77

14

10

24

243

21

2

2

4

31

1996-97

Hershey Bears

AHL

42

5

8

13

116

1

0

0

0

0

1997-98

Charlotte Checkers

ECHL

53

30

18

48

79

+5

7

4

0

4

11

1998-99

Kolner Haie

Germany

43

6

3

9

156

1998-99

United States

WC-Q

3

2

4

6

0

1999-00

2000-01

Charlotte Checkers

ECHL

16

1

2

3

21

-4

NHL Totals

397

43

35

78

1388

21

0

0

0

106

Traded to Winnipeg by Buffalo with Darrin Shannon and Dean Kennedy for Dave McLlwain, Gord Donnelly, Winnipeg's 5th round pick (Yuri Khmylev) in 1992 NHL Draft and future considerations, October 11, 1991. Claimed by Tampa Bay from Winnipeg in Expansion Draft, June 18, 1992. Traded to NY Rangers by Tampa Bay for Randy Gilhen, March 22, 1993. Signed as a free agent by Colorado, September 26, 1996. Signed as a free agent by Charlotte (ECHL), August 3, 2000.